The ‘Adventure Mindset’: the path to health and happiness

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah

I often feel frantic and frazzled getting ready for a weekend adventure. Projects pile up and I wonder what on earth I was thinking about adding extra challenges to an already busy life.

But when I stand on that summit overlooking the vast wilderness of rich emerald forest or gaze across snow-capped peaks or feel the sun warm our skin as it pops over the horizon, a weight lifts off my shoulders and the whole world glows.

When we take the call to adventure, our upcoming exotic challenge often motivates and excites us as we gather skills, fitness and gear to prepare for the journey. Life takes on a whole new dimension of happiness and fulfilment.

When we’re immersed in a real adventure with friends we feel natural exhilaration. We share magic moments. We feel the wonder of awe.

Doctors call it 'lifestyle medicine'. We call it adventure.

Neuroscience shows that adventure is really good for us. It connects all our happy hormones into one harmonious heaven of pleasure. Millions of people around the world now get to feel the health benefits of adventure by choosing to book a trip to an exotic land. But when you choose an active adventure, you get the magic motivation of the team challenge to lift your health and fitness to another level.

Adventure is a state of mind. Active adventure is a state of mind, body and spirit.

There are many paths to health and happiness. I am only an expert in one: the adventure goddess journey. Adventure goddesses live natural exhilaration because we reconnect with nature and design a lifestyle that synchs with our ancient origins. And Wild Women On Top has helped nearly 20,000 of them feel better.

During the past 35 years of seeking health and fitness, I discovered the healing powers of adventure through adversity. When I was tired, miserable, wrung out and fighting forty, I faced a mid-life crisis. I overcame it by embarking on a real adventure with friends. And now I help other women do the same.

Many women today are exhausted. We are overworked and run-ragged. We are insanely busy bees, rushing around madly with no time to nurture ourselves, working long hours for lifestyles that don’t bring us real happiness.

We have been seduced by a first-world culture that tells us Botox, thigh gaps, acrylic nails, and Brazilians bring happiness and that the doctor will fix us when we get sick.

We’ve lost our way.

But psychiatrists say three things make us happy: someone to love, something to do, something to look forward to: adventure. But I want more than just happiness. I want natural exhilaration.  And to get natural exhilaration, we need nature.

Nature brings sustainable happiness and fulfilment. It helps us thrive. In nature, we find real health and power. Nature energises mind, body and spirit, creates healthy food and provides action.

As I soar to sixty with a fit, healthy, resilient body and mind, leading a business that supports a family of four, I feel not just happy, but fulfilled. I can still do handstands, climb trees, bounce on beds, out-ski my kidults (not bragging, just saying) and dance about. And so can you.

Why an 'Adventure Mindset' is good for you

Adventure is a metaphor for life. There’s the thrill of the planning, the excitement of the challenge, the freedom of the hills, the meditation of movement and the exhilaration of overcoming the odds.

The 'Adventure Mindset' is a recipe to help us feel natural exhilaration. It is a thought tool that adapts the lessons of wild adventure to life. It teaches mental toughness, builds confidence and helps you kick-arse at work, home and in life. When you experience a challenging adventure in the wilderness you experience a journey that gives you a skill-set that can directly impact the way you manage your day to day life.  It gives you an ‘Adventure Mindset”.

The mindset starts with a purpose. When you add people and a plan you get pleasure and power. And when you add nature, you get natural exhilaration.

Life can be tough. Hardships hurt. But with the adventure mindset when life whacks you in the face, you’ll whack it right back.

Words by Di Westaway

Feeling inspired? Find your inner goddess on our Women's Adventures →